Reducing trauma to the cochlea due to implantation of a cochlear implant is desirable to improve the chance of preserving residual hearing, particularly for electric-acoustic stimulation (EAS), improved music appreciation, hearing in noise, and overall patient performance. Trauma to the cochlea can occur when the electrode array contacts the delicate internal tissues of the cochlea during insertion. This contact can damage these tissues and electrode array to loss of residual hearing.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.